Reading Eagle: Ben Hasty |
A billboard on the east side of the 200 block of North Eighth Street in Reading questions Mayor Wally Scott about the city's tax rate. Developer Alan Shuman says the billboards cost him at least $50,000.

Reading Eagle: Ben Hasty |
A billboard on the east side of the 200 block of North Eighth Street in Reading questions Mayor Wally Scott about the city's tax rate. Developer Alan Shuman paid for billboards with six different messages directed at Scott.

Reading Eagle: Ben Hasty |
A billboard in West Reading on the south side of the Buttonwood Street bridge asks Reading Mayor Wally Scott about his promise to bring businesses back to the city. Developer Alan Shuman paid for the billboard.

Developer Alan Shuman is again attacking Mayor Wally Scott through numerous billboards placed throughout the city.

Scott fired back Friday afternoon, saying Shuman is a "crybaby" who is mad that he cannot get special treatment.

"He (Shuman) is a bully and crying like a baby because I treat him like anyone else," Scott said. "I am certainly not afraid of Mr. Shuman."

Shuman, president of Shuman Development Group, said the billboards highlight Scott's shortcomings and he hopes to convince voters and Scott himself that Scott is not fit to be mayor.

"Hopefully this will help motivate him to do the right thing not run again," Shuman said. "He is a terrible mayor."

Scott did not say Friday if he is running in the May primary, but he said he will hold fast to being a mayor for the people.

Billboards ask questions

Shuman's billboards bear six messages attacking Scott with questions.

One sign says, "What happened to your promise to reduce crime?" a reference to a particularly bloody 2018.

Other billboards press Scott on the city tax rate, complying with Right-to-Know law and other issues.

The questions appeared on digital billboards around the city in September.

At that time, the messages rotated along with other advertisements. The new billboards are fixed, traditional billboards.

"The previous billboards were tests for feedback," said Shuman, of Bern Township. "I had 50 to 100 positive emails and phone calls."

The same billboards, with some minor tweaks, all will be in place in coming days, according to Shuman.

The locations include along North Eighth Street, not far from City Hall; along the 200 block of Penn Street and near city gateways by the Bingaman Street and Buttonwood Street bridges.

The billboards cost at least $50,000, Shuman said.

Bones to pick

The billboards stem from old friction between the mayor and the developer over a major development project Shuman contends was ruined by arbitrary codes violations and delayed permits.

Shuman and the city administration were in a heated back and forth regarding codes violations and the demolition of the former Nolde and Horst Reading building, also known as Outlet Center Building No. 1, in the 800 block of North Ninth Street.

Shuman said he wanted to preserve the largest of the 10 outlet center buildings in north Reading, but he had to demolish the historical building when the city made it difficult for him to renovate it.

Shuman offered to give the property, which had a $600,000 lein on it, over to the city.

Scott said Friday that among allegations of a history of wanting or receiving special treatment, Shuman wanted the citizens of Reading to pay for a building that "ruined the neighborhood."

"I treated him like he was anyone else who is doing anything to ruin the community," Scott said.

'Pro-business mayor'

Shuman fired back at the mayor's comments, asking, "By treating me like everyone else, does he mean run me out of town like he has done to so many other people since he took office?"

One of Shuman's billboards asks, "Mayor Wally Scott, what happened to your promise to bring business back to the city?"

Another asks, "Where is all the new development you promised?"

Scott said Shuman is trying to affect city politics to gain special treatment in City Hall.

Scott also pointed out that at least one of Shuman's properties has campaign signs for mayoral candidate Annarose Ingarra-Milch.

"He (Shuman) wants to control the mayor's chair," Scott said. "The only people who control the mayor's chair while I'm here are the people of Reading."

Shuman said Ingarra-Milch was the only candidate to have asked him to place campaign signs on his property and that he just wants a pro-business mayor in office.

Accusations abound

Scott said in September that the billboards were in retaliation for his comments about a past transaction between Shuman and the Reading Parking Authority relating to the former Abraham Lincoln hotel.

"I said publicly that I had referred that entire transaction to the FBI for investigation, and I guess he didn't like that," Scott said at the time. "He was upset with that. This is just him smacking back at me on that issue."

This time around, Shuman said he hopes the billboards will push Scott out of office.

Shuman scoffed at the accusation on Friday and said the Reading Parking Authority approached him in 2014 about buying the garage.

Scott also accused Shuman of formerly having someone inside the codes department to do Shuman's bidding. Scott did not name the city employee but said he restructured the codes department, a move he believes in part prompted Shuman's latest billboards.

Shuman also scoffed at that accusation, saying he merely wants to see development in the city.

Scott said Shuman's intentions are darker.

"He wants community development only when it benefits him, not the community," Scott said.

Since 1994, Shuman has redeveloped, sold or leased more than 2 million square feet of commercial property in Reading. His properties include Lincoln Tower Apartments - formerly The Abraham Lincoln hotel, the former Exide Corp. building at 645 Penn St., the M&T Bank Building at Fifth and Washington streets, the Big Mill building at Eighth and Oley streets and the former Meridian Bank building at 35 N. Sixth St.